The Fine Art of Farmstead Cheese

Secret Farmer Handshake

I was chatting with my new neighbors the other day as they rested under the tree by the fence that separates our properties. They are a dwarf beef breed and the little bull calf was beyond adorable. I wanted to take pictures of the little guy but Mama was giving me a suspicious glare. I reassured her that I wouldn’t post the pictures on social media without her express written consent. She looked dubious. It was at that moment that my husband drove by in his pickup, he also looked dubious. I get that look a lot.

A farmer cares for his cows, loves them, feeds them, and keeps them healthy and comfortable, but he seems to draw the line at palaver. I think there is a farmer’s club where you lose your membership if caught discussing the weather with livestock. I, on the other hand, have held some meaningful conversations with my 1,500 pound, four hoofed friends. Maybe that’s why I’m never invited to the farmer club meetings. I don’t know the secret handshake anyway.

Some local farmers occasionally meet in the back room of our store so I thought a bribe might be helpful to get into the secret club. I made Raspberry Quark Mini Muffins adapted from a Taste of Home Recipe. I plunked a bowlful of warm, fragrant muffins on the table and requested entrance into the club. I got a thank you for the muffins, but they wouldn’t divulge the secret handshake, they even tried telling me that it doesn’t exist. Now it was my turn to look dubious.

Raspberries from Boxx Berry Farm

Raspberry Quark Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup Quark (I used lowfat)

1/2 cup cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add in the berries and toss to coat.

Combine the wet ingredients in another bowl. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until moistened.

Fill greased mini muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

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Bellingham

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My name is Ruth, I love cheese and hope you do too! I love to cook with cheese and I want to share with you some of the delicious recipes that I have found as well as some of the funny, quirky things that happen on our family farm.